Pages

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Continuing their southward march the Twentieth Massachusetts departed from Germantown on Tuesday and arrived at the Rappahannock River this afternoon, making camp along the north bank of the river in close proximity to the position held during the Fredericksburg Campaign.1

Friday, July 26, 2013

After a two-day rest at Bloomfield the Twentieth Massachusetts broke camp early Tuesday morning and marched to Paris, Virginia by nightfall. The Twentieth moved rapidly each day, arriving at Linden on Wednesday, Markham Station on Thursday, and White Plains on Friday. This afternoon the Twentieth arrived at Germantown for a three-day rest.1

Saturday, July 20, 2013

The Army of the Potomac continued their pursuit of General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Virginia. The Twentieth Massachusetts, on the move with the Army of the Potomac, arrived at Sandy Hook last Wednesday and made camp for two days. On Saturday the Twentieth crossed the Potomac River near Harper's Ferry and moved through Hillsborough, Virginia. After traveling through Woodgrove the Twentieth made camp at Bloomfield this afternoon. 1

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Twentieth Massachusetts departed from Gettysburg on Sunday, July 5 in pursuit of the Army of Virginia and arrived at Two Taverns that evening. On Tuesday the Twentieth Massachusetts crossed into Maryland and arrived in Taneytown. Moving rapidly the Twentieth arrived in Frederick City on Wednesday, in Rohresrsville on Thursday, and in Tilghmanton on Friday, and formed into line with the Second Corps today near the Potomac River.1

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The Twentieth Massachusetts suffered severe casualties at Gettysburg. Among the officers killed were Colonel Paul Joseph Revere, First Lieutenant Henry Ropes, and Second Lieutenant Sumner Paine. Among the officers wounded were Lieutenant Colonel George Macy and Adjutant William H. Walker. The Twentieth Massachusetts reported one-hundred twenty-two casualties, included forty killed, eighty-one wounded, and one missing. The regiment incurred the majority of the casualties during the hand-to-hand combat at the copse of trees to seal the Union line.1

The Twentieth Massachusetts suffered heavy casualties at Gettysburg, particularly during the hand-to-hand combat to seal the Union line at the Angle near the copse of trees. Private Oliver Stanton Bates was most likely wounded during this hand-to-hand fighting. His service records state that he received a head wound, but no other details concerning his wounding were listed. Apparently his wounding was severe, as he did not report again for military duty until January 1864. This six-month interlude after Gettysburg was the only time during his entire military service that he did not report for duty.1

The Twentieth Massachusetts remained in their position at the center of the Union line, about 150 yards south of a copse of trees located near a stone wall. Union General George Meade advised Second Corps General John Gibbon to prepare for an attack on the center of the Union line directed squarely at the Second Corps. At 9:00 A.M. First Lieutenant Henry Ropes of Company K was tragically killed by an artillery shell that misfired from a Union battery. Lieutenant Ropes was greatly respected by officers and enlisted alike, and the Twentieth was deeply affected by his sudden loss.

At 1:00 P.M. a heavy artillery barrage commenced from the Confederate line clustered in the line of trees approximately one mile across the field from the Union line. All along the Union line the infantry regiments hugged the ground and hoped that they would not be torn to bits by Confederate artillery shells. The majority of the Confederate shells fell well behind the infantry lines and hit several Union artillery batteries.

At 3:00 P.M. a line of Confederate infantry emerged from the trees. The Confederate line stretched nearly a mile long and numbered nearly twenty-thousand men, comprised from the divisions of Generals George Pickett and James Johnston Pettigrew. As the Confederates advanced through the fields, long-range Union artillery posted securely along the Round Tops began to exact casualties among the Confederates. As the Confederate line approached the Emmitsburg Road, which bisected the fields, they took fire from the Union batteries along the center of the line. Although suffering numerous casualties the Confederates continued their advance.

The Twentieth Massachusetts remained on the ground as the Confederates continued to approach their position. They were ordered to hold their fire until the Confederates were one-hundred yards away. Confederate General James Kemper's brigade of George Pickett's division immediately faced the position of the Twentieth Massachusetts. As Kemper's brigade neared to within range of the Twentieth Massachusetts rifles the Twentieth arose from the ground and poured blistering rounds of rifle fire into Kemper's men. General George Stannard positioned two Vermont regiments at a ninety-degree angle and poured rifle fire along Kemper's flank. Union artillery behind the Twentieth Massachusetts sent several bursts into the Confederates, and Kemper's advance was repulsed.

As the Twentieth Massachusetts celebrated their successful repulse the remnants of two Confederate brigades of General George Pickett led by Generals Richard Garnett and Lewis Armistead breached gaps in the Union line along the stone wall near the copse of trees. Captain Henry Abbott was the senior ranking officer on the field for the Twentieth Massachusetts, as Colonel Paul Revere had been wounded on the previous day and Lieutenant Colonel George Macy had just been wounded by a minie ball in his left hand as the Confederates breached the line. Abbott, immediately sensing the new Confederate threat and fearing that his line would be flanked, led the Twentieth Massachusetts immediately to the right to the new conflict at the copse of trees. Severe hand-to-hand combat ensued for the next twenty minutes until the breach was sealed and the Confederate advance was repulsed. The Twentieth Massachusetts suffered the majority of their casualties during the fierce hand-to-hand combat. Among the casualties were Lieutenant Sumner Paine of Company A, who fell from artillery and rifle fire as he approached the breach in the Union line with his men. Among the wounded during the conflict was Private Oliver Stanton Bates of Company A.
1

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Twentieth Massachusetts arose early and marched to their position for the day in the center of the Union line that stretched from Cemetery Hill at the north to the Round Tops at the south. Confederate General Robert E. Lee ordered General James Longstreet to attack the left flank of the Union line for possession of the Round Tops, which were undefended as the day begun. In the afternoon Union General Daniel Sickles of the Third Corps moved his men to hold the higher ground at the Peach Orchard. This salient movement produced gaps in the Union line, and the Confederates immediately seized the opportunity to strike. Generals George Meade and Winfield Scott Hancock ordered Union regiments to plug the gaps in their line and to hold the high ground of the Round Tops. A series of fierce contests ensued during the afternoon at Devil's Den at the base of the Round Tops, at the Wheatfield, at the Round Tops, and along the Emmitsburg Road to roll up the left flank of the Union line. By nightfall the Round Tops were in solid possession of the Union. Although severely battered the Union line held strong. Both sides suffered heavy casualties for the day in some of the severest fighting of the entire war.

The Twentieth Massachusetts, with the exception of Company G, was not engaged in battle during July 2, but was subject to casualties from heavy artillery and rifle fire at their position in the Union center. Company G was engaged in picket duty along the Emmitsburg Road near the Codori Barn. Captain Henry Patten and Lieutenant Charles Cowgill were wounded during the battle, but were able to round up their men and return to the regiment. Sergeant Gustave Magnitzky was wounded and was technically a prisoner of the Confederates, but after nightfall he crawled to the Codori Barn and subsequently returned to the regiment. During the afternoon the regiment suffered heavily when their commander, Colonel Paul Revere, was mortally wounded by artillery fire.
1

Monday, July 1, 2013

After resting one day at Uniontown the Second Corps was rushed to Taneytown, Maryland, where they heard the news of the wounding of Union General John Reynolds, commander of the First Corps, at Gettysburg. General George Meade dispatched Second Corps Commander Winfield Scott Hancock to Gettysburg and placed General John Gibbon in temporary command of the Second Corps. As the Twentieth Massachusetts approached Gettysburg they heard artillery fire and knew that a fierce battle was in progress. The Second Corps formed a close marching column and no one was allowed to fall out of rank for any reason. By nightfall the Second Corps arrived at Gettysburg, where the men learned of the events of the day. General John Reynolds had been killed just west of Gettysburg in the morning as he led the Iron Brigade of the First Corps into battle. The First and Eleventh Corps fought desperately until the afternoon, when the Union line collapsed and the Confederates rushed into Gettysburg. General Winfield Scott Hancock rushed to the newly-formed Union line on Cemetery Hill and ordered the men to hold this line at all costs. The Confederates rushed Cemetery Hill but were beaten back by the Union forces. Although the day was viewed as a Confederate victory the Union forces held the high ground around Gettysburg and were in a superior position for a renewed contest. 1

Welcome!

This Civil War history blog is dedicated to the outstanding military service of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment and to the memory of my ancestor, Private Oliver Stanton Bates of Company A. Each blog post marks the 150th anniversary of the original event during the Civil War.